Those Who Wander Alone
by wbss21
Summary: Avengers/Thor High School AU: Loki doesn't have any friends, and maybe Jane's right, maybe there's a reason for that. But Darcy isn't so sure, and she's always had a weakness for aloof outcast loners. Rating may change later.
1. Chapter 1

**Those Who Wander Alone**

**Chapter 1:**

Darcy Lewis steps through the double doors leading out of the cafeteria and to the schools back field, foot holding it part way open while fussing distractedly with her backpack, trying to stuff her history textbook past the partially closed zipper.

A moment later, and the whole thing ends up falling out of her grasp, book splaying open and face down along the pavement, pack lying beside it, contents half spilled out.

She sighs, rolling her eyes.

This is what she gets for being lazy, she guesses. Someone inside the cafeteria shouts out to her, "Klutz!"

Darcy looks back over her shoulder, eyes narrowing in feigned indignation, scowling at Jane, her best friend, as the girl points and laughs good humouredly at her.

"Whatever bitch!" Darcy calls back, and Jane pretends to be offended, pressing her palm against her chest and widening her eyes, mouth agape in shock.

Darcy just laughs, before turning back and gathering the rest of her stuff, standing back up and letting the door swing shut behind her.

She wants to stay and eat lunch with Jane and the rest of her friends, but she failed last night to finish her homework for her next period, and if she doesn't get it done now, she's going to lose credit. It's too damn loud in the cafeteria for her to focus, so she told the gang she was going to have to skip out on them and that she'd be at the track bleachers, finishing up her assignment if they needed her.

Finally getting the book secured in her bag, she looks up, eyes momentarily scanning over the field before her.

No one else is out here, the field empty.

Or at least, that's what it looks like at first glance.

Eyes shifting back where they started, and she suddenly notices, all the way on the other side of the field, under a large Ash tree, is a boy. At least, she thinks it's a boy. It's kind of hard to tell from this distance.

He's sitting there, all by himself.

Darcy frowns, staring at him a long, few seconds, before shrugging and starting to make her way towards the track.

She can't help stealing glances at the kid as she moves, and passing a little closer, she sees he's eating lunch, a brown paper bag crumpled in his lap, it looks like.

Her eyes move up to his face, and she realizes abruptly who it is.

She's seen him around the school a couple times since the school year started, a freshman.

Every time she's seen him, he's been by himself, and now seems to be no exception.

She wonders about that a little.

Doesn't he have any friends?

She doesn't even know the kid, but something about seeing him out here, with no one else around, no one to talk to, eating his little sack of food all alone, makes her feel bad.

Darcy's never been one to overanalyze her own emotions. She acts as she feels. And so she doesn't think twice as she suddenly decides screw the bleachers and her homework, she can always make up for it with extra credit or something, and starts making her way towards the boy under the tree.

He doesn't even notice her until she's about ten feet away, his eyes having been cast to the ground, half eaten sandwich in his hand.

He looks startled as she comes nearer and, she notices, almost… afraid? His eyes are wide and wary, and he looks like he's trying to decide whether he should freeze and not move or get up and run.

Darcy isn't deterred as she comes to a stop about three feet from him and smiles.

"Hi." She says, and he only stares up at her in confusion.

"Aren't you Thor's little brother?" She asks.

Thor, Jane's boyfriend and generally thought of as the hottest guy in school. It doesn't hurt that he's the quarterback for their football team, built like a shit brick house, and retarded handsome.

Looking at the boy before her, (what's his name again?), Darcy has a hard time believing the two of them are actually related.

She can see this kid is tall. Not as tall as Thor, not nearly, but tall. And he's skinny. And where Thor's hair is wheat blonde, with beautiful tanned skin and the bluest eyes she's ever seen, his brother's hair is black as a raven's wing and with skin pale as snow, eyes a vivid green.

He doesn't answer her, and she frowns slightly.

"Um, hello?" She asks, and that seems to snap him out of whatever daze he's in.

He looks away quickly, gathering what's left of his lunch back into the paper sack and starting to stand.

Without a word, he begins to move past her, keeping his eyes fixed down, and without thinking, Darcy reaches out, grabbing his arm and stopping him.

"Hey…" she starts, brow furrowing. "You okay?"

He freezes in her grip, body going rigid. He doesn't look up.

Seconds pass, and then she hears him speak, voice soft and smooth as velvet…

"… Please let me go." He says, and it sounds almost like a question, like he's desperate.

Gradually, Darcy loosens her grip, fingers sliding away and hand falling back to her side.

"Sorry, I…" she begins.

But then he just keeps walking, his ridiculously long legs carrying him quickly away from her.

It only causes Darcy to redouble her efforts, her interest now fully piqued.

"Hey, wait a second!" She calls, jogging to catch up to him. "I'm trying to talk to you!"

Abruptly he stops, turning and staring down at her.

And damn, he _is_ tall.

He would be intimidating if he weren't so thin, she realizes.

"Would you leave me alone?" He asks, voice a sharp hiss. "Just leave me alone."

Darcy stares up at him, confusion etched across her features.

"I was only…" she starts, but he cuts her off again.

"Your friends sent you out here. Right? Because it's funny. Go talk to the weird kid, see what he does."

Darcy's brow creases.

"What? No, I…"

"Only it isn't funny to me." he talks over her once more. "I've been through this a few times too many and I'm afraid it's long since lost its appeal. So if you'll excuse me…"

He turns and again starts walking away.

For a moment, Darcy finds herself stunned, just watching him, wondering what the heck that was all about, before she comes back to herself and runs after him again.

"Hey, wait a second! Nobody sent me out here!" She calls, catching up to him once more and grabbing at his wrist.

Again, he freezes at the contact, but she doesn't let go, determined.

"I came over here 'cause you looked lonely and, I dunno, I felt bad. I always see you around the school and you're always by yourself. I just thought maybe you'd want someone to talk to or something."

For a moment, he doesn't move, staring ahead, silent.

And then, finally, he glances back down at her, eyes suspicious, and with that same hint of fear she'd first seen.

He tugs at the grip she has on his wrist.

"Please just let me go." He says.

She keeps her hold a long instant more, before at last she relents.

And this time, when he walks away, she doesn't chase after him.

/

The next time she sees Loki, she got his name from Thor during their fifth period algebra 2 class, is that same day, after school lets out, and she's hanging out with Jane and Tony in the student parking lot, waiting for Steve to show up and drive them all home. Convenient they all live in the same neighborhood.

She spots him walking across the space alongside Thor.

Thor is talking and laughing loudly, his muscled are swung and draped across his younger brothers thin shoulders. Loki has his gaze fixed to the ground, clutching a book to his chest with one arm, the other carrying his bag. He doesn't seem to respond to anything Thor is saying, but Thor keeps on talking anyway.

Darcy smirks. Typical Thor. Couldn't ask for a nicer guy, but damn, if he isn't self-absorbed sometimes.

She's still somewhat confused by her earlier encounter with the younger Odinson.

Loki had acted so afraid. And then that whole thing with him thinking her friends had sent her out there to, what, make fun of him or something? It was totally bizarre.

Seeing him next to Thor now, the contrast between them is even more stark, and Darcy once more finds herself having a hard time believing they're actually brothers.

But everyone knows they are.

Darcy's never actually seen it, but there's all kinds of gossip around the school about Thor kicking the crap out of anyone dumb enough to bully Loki while he's around. Apparently, Thor's been given after school detention so many times, he's set some kind of record.

Thor had acted suspicious of her when she'd asked him about Loki earlier, wanting to know _why_ she was asking, and that had only caused Darcy to grow more curious about the younger sibling. Apparently, neither brother thought is plausible someone could actually be interested in Loki _sincerely_, and _that_ just depressed Darcy.

She continues to watch as Thor and Loki reach Thor's truck, and the elder opens the passenger side door for his brother, waiting for Loki to get comfortably inside the cab.

He leans in a moment later, saying something to the smaller boy, and Darcy sees him reach up, pushing Loki's black hair gently back behind his ear, the action full of affection and kindness.

Loki just seems to bow his head. If he says anything back to Thor, Darcy can't make it out. And then Thor is closing the door and moving around to the drivers side, climbing in.

She sees him reach over and check Loki's seat belt, and feels her brow furrow slightly at the care and attention Thor seems to pay his little brother. She's heard of protective older siblings, but this seems extreme, in a way.

Satisfied, Thor starts the engine, and a moment later, they've taken off, disappearing out of sight shortly after.

"Darcy, are you even listening to me?" She hears Jane beside her suddenly, and she turns. Jane is glaring at her, exasperated.

"You were staring at Thor." She snaps. "You better not be thinking of making moves on my boyfriend." She sticks a finger in her face, waving it with mock hostility.

Darcy grins goofily.

"Actually, I was kinda checking out Loki."

For a moment, Jane looks confused.

"Loki? Thor's brother?"

Darcy nods.

"He's actually kinda cute, if you take the time to notice."

Jane's face scrunches up, like she's about to disagree.

But then the expression fades, and she shrugs.

"Ehe, I guess he's alright. But Darcy, I'm telling you, he's got the personality of a viper. Every time I've been over to Thor's house, his brother barely says a word to me, and he always just goes and hides in his room, like he can't stand the sight of me or something. It's no wonder he doesn't have any friends, if he acts like that."

Darcy frowns, looking back the way Thor and Loki had driven off.

"… Well maybe he's just shy." She muses quietly.

She hears Jane sigh.

"Darcy, I hope you aren't developing some kind of _interest_. First off, Thor's, like, UBER protective of him. I mean it. I was a little bit snide to him once, and I thought Thor was going to break up with me for it. He got _so_ mad, giving me some lecture about how his brother is all sensitive and I shouldn't ever be mean to him. But Christ, he was mean to me first! And second of all, you start hanging out with Loki, that's like, social SUIDICE! Seriously, _nobody_ likes him."

Darcy gives her a look.

"What?" Jane asks.

"Like I've ever cared what anyone thinks." Darcy replies simply. "And how can _nobody _like him when no ones ever given him a chance? That's just stupid."

And that, Jane considers, is definitely food for thought.

She sighs.

"Look, I'm just telling you, Loki's a weird kid. There's something… I dunno, _wrong_ with him I think. Thor tells me he's got issues with depression or something and… well, you ever take a look at his wrists?"

Darcy looks at her confusedly.

Jane makes a slashing motion across the backs of her wrists, nodding as understanding lights in Darcy's eyes.

"Yup. Apparently he's tried to kill himself more than a couple times. Thor told me once, but he doesn't like to talk about it."

"Is that why he's so careful with him?" Darcy wonders absently, gazing back down the road.

"Huh?" She hears Jane ask.

"The way he handles him." Darcy explains, turning back to her. "Thor. He was handling his brother like he was some kinda china doll or something."

Jane shrugs.

"I dunno. Probably. I'm just saying, it's dangerous territory Darc. That kid's not okay. I know I'm being harsh, but I'm just looking out for you. I don't want you getting hurt."

"What are you two blabbing about?" Tony suddenly interjects, coming up behind them.

He'd run a minute ago to one of the vending machines to grab a soda.

"Nothing." Jane says, rolling her eyes at their unrealistically obnoxious friend.

"You were talking about Thor's kid brother, weren't you?" Tony accuses with a smirk.

"Maybe." Jane replies.

"Oh, he's a sweet kid." Tony replies, and both Jane and Darcy give him a surprised look.

Tony's grin widens and he nods.

"Yup. I ran into him in the bathroom a couple weeks ago. Eyes all red and puffy like he'd been crying." Tony gestures around his own face to indicate. "So I ask him if he's alright, and he tells me to go fuck myself before storming out. Like I said, sweet kid."

Jane sighs, rolling her eyes and shaking her head.

"You know he's only twelve too, right Darcy?" She says.

"What? No way!" Darcy turns back to her. "How's he even in high school?"

"Smart kid too." Tony offers. "Apparently he skipped a few grades. I could've skipped a few grades too, but I woulda missed hanging out with my girls then!"

Jane shoves him against the shoulder, and Darcy smirks.

A moment later, Steve shows up, and they all end up piling into his car, idle chatter leading them onto other topics of conversation.

But Darcy's mind is still on Thor's little brother.

Only twelve? She never would've guessed to look at him. He was already several inches taller than her. But he did have that awkward, in the middle of a growth spurt look to him, and he was awfully skinny.

Her mind keeps wandering back to what Jane said though, about him trying to kill himself.

Twelve years old? And he's tried to commit suicide? And then there was his almost terrified reaction to her earlier on the back field, and Thor's suspicious reaction to her asking about him. The way Thor had touched Loki so gently, and handled him with such extreme attention and care.

And Darcy begins to wonder what the hell is going on.

She begins to wonder what, exactly, this kid's been through in his life.

Maybe Jane's right. Maybe it's a bad idea.

But Darcy can't help but feel the urge to talk to Loki again, somehow.

She doesn't know why.

Only that a moment later, she determines to do just that.

/

**AN: So, I don't think this is going to turn into a romance between Loki and Darcy or anything. Probably just a friendship thing. But we'll see how it develops. Let me know what you guys thought, and thanks so much for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2:**

"So, Thor…" Odin begins as they sit round the dinner table that night. "Are you excited about football season starting in a couple weeks?"

Thor looks up from his plate to his father, nodding enthusiastically.

"Yeah! I can't wait!" He answers. "I think the teams shaping up to be pretty good this year too."

Odin nods, seeming pleased.

"I think you'll do even better this year than last. For sure you'll make state champions." He says.

And again, Thor nods.

The conversation about the team continues between father and son for the next few minutes, and Frigga glances over at Loki, noticing him with his eyes fixed to his plate, pushing his food around with his fork.

He looks sullen, and hasn't spoken a word since they gathered.

She feels her chest constrict, a sudden pang of worry working its way up from the pit of her stomach.

"Loki, honey, are you feeling okay?" She interjects in the conversation, moving it to her youngest. "You've barely touched your food."

Thor and Odin stop in their exchange, both glancing to the young boy.

Loki glances up at his Mother, blinking, for a moment seeming confused.

And then he shrugs, looking back to his food.

"I'm alright." He answers softly, voice almost too quiet to hear.

A momentary silence falls over the room then, stretching.

"Did you…" Odin starts, as though just remembering his youngest, and that he should show some interest. "learn anything of particular note today in school?"

The curiosity sounds forced, but if Loki notices, he doesn't give any indication.

Instead, his eyes for a moment seem to light brightly as he looks up at his Father.

"We were learning about perspective in art class today!" He begins, sounding genuinely excited for the first time that night. "And how to gauge and depict proportion properly when looking at an object. There are all sorts of factors which come in, angle and shadow and light and…"

His voice trails off as he sees Odin's eye lose focus and slide away. He continues to nod, but he isn't listening.

"And some kid during gym class called me a fag and shoved me to the floor." He says suddenly, voice hard and angry.

"That's wonderful son." Odin says absently, even as both Thor's and Frigga's eyes go wide in shock and dismay.

Loki's face twists in a pained scowl, his entire frame going rigid.

His gaze drops back to his plate, and he goes silent.

"Odin!" Frigga chastises. "Did you not hear what your son just said?"

Odin looks to her, seeming for a moment lost.

"It's okay Mom." Loki says quietly, picking his fork back up and stabbing absently at his food.

"It's not alright." Frigga counters. "Odin, your son just told you he was bullied in school today, and you told him that was great! You're not even listening to him!"

For an instant, Odin actually looks shocked, and then his lips curl into a frown, and he looks back to Loki, starts saying…

"Loki, what…"

Abruptly, Loki pushes back from the table, standing.

He doesn't look up as he says…

"I'm feeling tired. I think I'm going to go to bed now, if you'll excuse me…"

And without another word, he turns, striding quickly from the dining room.

A moment later, they hear his bedroom door slam.

Frigga holds her face in her hands, shaking her head, as Odin stares dumbfounded after Loki, Thor fidgeting uncomfortably with his napkin.

"… I'll go check on him." The elder sibling finally mutters, sounding ashamed, though what for, Frigga can't figure. It wasn't Thor's fault.

As he exits the room to go check on his brother, Frigga finally lifts her face and glares at her husband.

"Odin, for the love of God, I can't _believe_ you!" She hisses, not even bothering to hide her fury.

"What?!" Odin shoots back defensively. "It was a simple mistake. I've had a lot on my mind lately. The firms been overrun with work this last month, and…"

"Odin, stop. Do you not remember what his doctor said?!" She gestures angrily in the direction of Loki's room. "It's important we pay him attention and show him that we care! You know how easily he gets discouraged!"

"I know!" Odin shoots, frustrated and angry.

"Odin, just…" Frigga trails off, voice losing its edge, growing heavy and thick with worry. "We can't lose him."

She looks down, her hands folding tight together in her lap.

"If he hurts himself again…"

"He won't." Odin says pointedly. Only he sounds more like he's trying to convince himself than her.

"If he _does_," Frigga looks up at him, eyes shining wet. "I'll never forgive us. Because it will be _our _fault Odin. Do you understand? We're supposed to protect him."

"… I know." Odin replies, voice quiet now, having lost it's power.

For a moment, silence falls between them.

"… I just don't understand him sometimes." Odin murmurs finally. "He confounds me, that boy."

"Loki is a complicated child." Frigga answers. "That's what you get with gifted children like him. We always knew it wasn't going to be easy."

"That makes it no less difficult to deal with." Odin says back.

Frigga nods.

"But we have to try. For Loki, we have to _try_ Odin."

"I _am_ trying." He says.

"Not hard enough." She shoots in return quickly. "You know how sensitive Loki is. It's so easy to hurt him Odin. And he already feels so out of place. I fear what will happen if he should…"

"He won't." Odin cuts off her thought. "… He won't."

/

Thor stands outside Loki's bedroom door a long, few seconds.

Just waiting.

He feels a reluctance he wishes he didn't.

A fear.

It wasn't so long ago, he was standing in this same spot, knocking softly on the door, waiting for a reply.

Receiving none.

Making his way in and finding…

His eyes close against the memory, vivid and sharp.

So much red, pooling everywhere.

And Loki, lying limp and still and deathly pale…

His own voice, hoarse with screaming so loud, crying for help as he cradled the unresponsive form of his little brother in his arms, so small and fragile and helpless…

He pushes the memory away, clenching his fists.

No, enough of that.

Enough.

He raises his hand, knocking gently.

"Loki?" He calls.

There's no answer, and he waits only a moment more, forcing the sick feeling threatening in his stomach down before reaching out and grasping the doors knob, twisting and pushing it open.

There's an awful and nauseating tension which sticks in his chest for those brief instants as his eyes scan over the room, his mind treacherously expecting the worst.

It dissipates almost immediately as it finds Loki, sitting on the floor on the other side of his bed, leaned up against the frame, only the back of his head visible.

Thor waits a moment before, quietly, he steps into the room, closing the door softly behind him and making his way to where his little brother sits.

Coming around the mattress, he looks down at him.

Loki is sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped round and chin rested on top.

Thor waits a second more before lowering himself down beside him, his own back to the beds frame, knees up like his brothers.

He sits there, still a moment, before gently he nudges Loki's side with his elbow.

"Hey." He says.

Loki doesn't say anything for a long, few seconds.

"… Hey." He finally returns, almost soundlessly.

"… You okay?" Thor asks, glancing over at him.

Loki turns his face slightly away.

"… I'm okay." He says.

Thor knows he isn't.

A beat.

"… You want to talk about it?" Thor continues.

"No." Loki answers quickly, still looking away.

"Okay." Thor replies.

He waits.

And finally,

"He doesn't even care about me." Loki's voice cracks only just, and that's enough for Thor to know he's in trouble.

His heart crumples, and without even thinking, he reaches over and puts an arm around Loki's bony shoulders, pulling him against him.

"Loki, you know that isn't true. Father loves you."

"No he doesn't." Loki says. And he's fighting to keep his voice steady now. "He doesn't even know I'm there. He doesn't care. He doesn't care about me."

A long moment passes, and Loki turns, pressing his face into his arm, as though trying to hide.

"No one does." He says, and his voice is broken thick with tears.

"Loki," Thor says, staring down at him in dismay. "No. We care. All of us. We all love you so much."

Loki shakes his head, face still hidden against himself.

He's breathing hard, trying to keep himself from crying.

"Then why does everybody hate me?" He asks. His voice is thin and weak, and Thor almost doesn't understand him. "Why…"

He pauses, inhaling sharply and loudly.

Suddenly he looks up and turns to Thor, his eyes red, rimmed wet.

"Why doesn't he pay any attention to me?" He asks, almost pleading. "I try." He says. "I… I want him to Thor. I want him to notice."

Abruptly he looks away again, frame going rigid with tension.

"I know I'm not the best at anything like you. I know I'm not strong or tough or, or, or… or brave, but I'm trying as hard as I can, and it doesn't matter! Nothing I do is good enough. It's _never_ good enough!"

"Loki," Thor says again, squeezing his shoulder. "that's not true. Don't say that."

"It would be better if I just didn't exist." Loki goes on as though he hasn't even heard his older brother. "It would be better if I was dead."

And Thor feels his heart drop down into the pit of his stomach, a consuming dread taking vicious hold of him and squeezing.

"Loki, _no_." He says sternly.

He moves, crawling around to face Loki, reaching out and taking hold of his shoulders.

"Look at me Loki." He says.

Loki keeps his face away.

"Loki, _look at me_." He repeats, giving him a rough shake.

And finally the younger boy does, glancing at him. He keeps his eyes on Thor only a moment before they flit down, swallowing thickly.

"You don't _ever _say that Loki." Thor says, leaning down slightly to try and catch his brother's eye. "Do you understand? Don't ever say anything like that again. Okay?"

Loki nods weakly, still staring away.

"Look at me and tell me okay Loki." Thor demands, again shaking him gently. "Look at me and say it."

Long seconds pass before, at last, Loki lifts his face, staring hesitantly at Thor, and he nods again.

"Okay." He says.

And Thor doesn't wait another instant, reaching around and pulling his brother into a hug, holding him against his chest.

He bends down, kissing the crown of Loki's head, lips pressed against soft, black hair.

"I love you Loki." He says.

Loki leans against him a moment, unmoving, before at last, his own, thin arms come around Thor's broad shoulders, and he breaths out quietly, voice trembling barely…

"I love you too Thor."

They sit like that for a long time, still.

Until eventually, Thor hears the deep and even breaths of his brother, his arms growing slack and falling away, limp at his sides.

And Thor scoops him up, standing with him, leaning down and pulling the covers from the bed, lying Loki across the sheets carefully.

He makes sure to remove Loki's shoes and socks before he bends down, kissing him softly along his temple. Loki doesn't stir, and Thor takes hold of the comforter, pulling it back up to the smaller boys shoulder.

For a moment more, Thor watches him, making sure he's okay, until finally he steps away, reaching out and switching off the rooms light before pulling the door open and stepping through, closing it soundless behind him.

All he can hear is Loki's voice, the words he said.

He feels sick, coming down the stairs, because he knows he has to tell Mother and Father.

He knows what will happen if he does.

He knows Loki will hate him for it.

He knows this. All of this.

He finds Frigga and Odin anyway.

And he tells them.

/

**AN: A HUGE thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the first chapter. I'm super glad you all seem to like it thus far. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well, and I'd love to keep hearing from all of you and your thoughts.**

**More will obviously be revealed as the story progresses. And I'll do my best to respond to all of your reviews.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

Jane sighs, rolling her eyes skyward and shaking her head.

Darcy has been talking incessantly in her ear for the past fifteen minutes, and she isn't sure she can take much more.

"Darc!" Jane finally snaps, glaring at her friend.

Darcy stops, staring wide eyed back at the other girl.

Again, Jane sighs.

"Look, I don't know why you're insisting on this. He's not even going to _talk_ to you. Believe me. Thor's brother isn't the type. More likely he'll sneer at you and call you some ridiculously insulting name and then take off. That's what he does. I know."

Darcy shrugs, seeming unfazed by the warning.

"I just wanna try. Maybe if he sees I'm not trying to make fun of him…"

"Uh huh," Jane answers skeptically. "Listen Darcy, if Loki doesn't take your head off, Thor just might. I told you how he is about Loki. He'll think your planning something or… I don't know."

"Why?" Darcy asks, confused.

"Because… just…" Jane growls in frustration, trying to explain. She seems hesitant, like she isn't sure what she should and shouldn't reveal.

Finally, she exhales, and starts in a low voice.

"Listen, from what he's told me, Loki apparently used to get bullied in a really bad way, back when they still lived in England. Supposedly some really bad stuff went down. Thor hasn't shared any details, but he said it involved a bunch of other students, and Loki had to be pulled out of school for an entire year, and that's when all that stuff with, you know…" she motions across her wrists, "started. And, look, just don't tell him I told you any of this. It's private and he doesn't like it getting around. The only reason I'm telling you is because Loki's damaged goods, if you know what I mean, and I don't know what's going on with him."

Darcy's face is screwed up in contemplation, her eyes seeming distant as she absorbs everything Jane's just said.

Her mind runs rampant with thoughts of what it could all mean. She's had her fair share of bullying in her own life, and she knows what it's like to be made to feel like an outcast.

Though it never got so extreme she had to be _taken out of school_.

She isn't even sure if she wants to know what could have happened that was bad enough to cause such a thing.

She knows Jane is trying to scare her off getting involved with Loki, but if anything, it only makes her more determined to befriend the kid.

She just feels _bad_ for him. And if Darcy knows anything about abrasive attitudes, it's that they're usually nothing more than a defense mechanism, and from everything she's hearing, it sounds like Loki's got more reason than most to be defensive.

Her thoughts are disrupted when she hears Jane say,

"There they are." And she looks up, seeing Thor pulling into the parking lot in his pickup.

She and Jane had been waiting in his usual parking spot for the last half hour. Jane usually waits for him in the mornings so they can walk to class together, sharing their first period and all. Darcy doesn't ever bother, usually waiting as long as she can before leaving home in the mornings.

She is definitely _not _a morning person. But she called Jane last night and told her she wanted to meet up with her in the parking lot the next day because she wanted to talk to Loki again.

Jane had tried her best to discourage her, but Darcy wasn't hearing it, and so here they were.

Darcy feels a kind of nervous anticipation as they watch Thor's truck come around and draw closer.

She hopes Loki doesn't have a problem with this. And if he does, she's just going to have to try harder. She's sure once Thor sees she's sincere in her efforts, he'll be okay with it. If he's as protective of his brother as Jane says, he can't be averse to Loki having _friends_.

Her nervousness dissipates to confusion as Thor pulls up, and they see the passenger side of the cab empty.

No Loki.

"Shit." Jane breaths quietly as Thor parks, and Darcy glances over at her, unsure.

"What?" She asks, just as Thor opens the door and steps out.

He looks unhappy, to say the least.

No, more like upset, Darcy would say.

And then Jane blurts out, unthinking,

"Where's Loki?"

And Thor's expression sours further, lips pulling into a frown, brow creasing heavy as though in pain.

He glances at Darcy a moment, eyes searching, before he turns back to Jane, and grabs hold of her arm gently, guiding her away.

Darcy watches after them, trying to catch what's being said as he begins speaking lowly to Jane.

"What's she doing here?" He asks, cocking his head in Darcy's direction.

Jane glances back at her friend briefly before turning back to Thor, shaking her head.

"She's got it into her head that she wants to be your brother's friend." She answers, exasperated. "Thor, what's going on? Is Loki okay?"

Thor continues staring over at Darcy suspiciously a long moment before, finally, he turns back to Jane and, slowly, he shakes his head no.

"Why?" She asks, suddenly urgent. "What happened?"

Thor's eyes flit to the ground, and for a long moment, he says nothing, Jane waiting with sickened anxiety.

"… There was a scene this morning." He begins warily. "Our parents called Loki's doctor, because of some stuff he said last night. He came over, Loki freaked out…" he trails off, glancing away, down the road.

Jane sees him swallow thickly, and without thinking, she reaches forward, grasping onto his arm softly, squeezing in reassurance.

Thor shakes his head.

"They took him to the hospital Jane." Thor says, looking back to her. His voice is strained, like he's holding back tears.

Jane frowns up at him.

"He didn't want to go, and…" again, he shakes his head. "It's all my fault Jane. I told my parents what he said last night. It's just, I was worried. I thought… I'm scared he might… that he might try…"

Again, he voice fades, and he isn't able to finish.

Jane rubs his arm soothingly.

"You did the right thing Thor." She tries to reassure. "It's okay. You did the right thing."

"But, if you'd seen him this morning..." Thor glances at her briefly before once more looking away. "He was so angry, screaming at all of us, and crying. He accused me of betraying him and said… said I didn't care about him."

"Thor," Jane answers. "you know that isn't true. You love your brother. Everyone knows that."

"But does he?" Thor asks, desperate.

He lifts a giant hand, wiping at his eyes.

"And then he just got all quiet, you know. The way that he does. And he didn't say anything, just let Dr. Banner take him away. I'm just so scared Jane. I'm so worried about him."

"I know." Jane says, voice soft. "I know Thor."

"What if he tries killing himself again?" Thor asks, voice shaking. "I can't handle this."

"He won't." Jane tries to reassure.

"What's going on?" Darcy finally speaks up, stepping towards the two.

Thor glares at her before turning away angrily, folding his arms over his broad chest and going silent.

"Nothing." Jane tries to intercede, turning towards her friend and putting her hands up.

"Did something happen to Loki?" Darcy ignores her, looking at Thor.

"It's nothing Darcy, just some trouble at home." Again, Jane tries, but Darcy pushes past her and steps around Thor, looking up at his 6'4" frame, apparently unintimidated.

"Where's your brother?" She asks bluntly.

"It's none of your concern." Thor shoots back, clearly displeased.

"Darcy," Jane begins, trying to pull her away.

"No, I want to know!" Darcy shrugs her off. "Is he okay?"

And finally, Thor snaps.

"No!" He nearly shouts, and Darcy can't help but jump at his booming voice. "He isn't! He's not okay. He's _sick_, alright?! And it's people like you who've made him that way! People that just don't know when to quit! People who think it's okay to fuck with him and don't see how much they're really hurting him! People who think it's cool to pretend to be his friend only to shit all over him later and make him look like a fool! You'll leave my brother alone! Just stay out of his life! Alright?! He doesn't need any more assholes like you making it harder for him than it already is!"

Without another word, Thor brushes past her and Jane, throwing the door to his truck back open and climbing in, starting the engine a moment later and taking off, the wheels screeching against the pavement as he speeds round the corner and out of sight.

The two girls stand there a long moment, unmoving, stunned.

Before at last, Jane whirls on Darcy.

"God damn it!" She growls. "I TOLD you Darcy. Fuck! Why couldn't you have just kept out of it?"

Darcy stares, taken aback by Jane's sudden outburst.

Jane grips the sides of her head, fingers curling into her hair.

"FUCK!" She shouts, squeezing her eyes shut. "He's probably never gonna wanna see me again!"

"Jane," Darcy starts, but Jane cuts her off.

"I told you his brother has problems Darc, but you didn't listen!" She says. "He's in a fucking mental hospital right now. Okay? You wanted to know what's going on with him? That's it! He's a fucking _psycho_! You wanna be friends with that? Be my guest. But if Thor breaks up with me over this shit, I'm… I…"

She growls again and turns towards the school, beginning to stalk off.

"Just don't talk to me right now!" She shouts back over her shoulder.

Darcy can only watch her disappear into the school, leaving her alone outside.

How the hell did everything fall apart so quickly?

/

Thor sits outside the hospital in his truck, hands gripping the steering wheel, forehead leaned against his knuckles, eyes closed.

He knows he should be in school right now. That his parents told him to just go, that it would help him keep his mind off Loki.

But he can't.

He just can't.

All he can _think_ about is Loki. All he can keep seeing is the pained look in his brother's eyes before he went with Dr. Banner that morning, how quiet he'd gone after everything.

How Loki wouldn't look at him then.

He knows Loki's probably barely gotten through processing, and he doesn't even know if they'll allow him any visitors this early in the morning.

Of if Loki will even want to see him.

But he has to try.

He just can't bear the thought of Loki all alone in that awful place, _again_.

It's been so many times already.

He breaths out through his nose, lifting his face finally and glancing out across the lot towards the front of the building.

It seems so… plain.

So innocuous.

Thor used to think of mental institutes as something out of a horror film, where psychotic serial killers were put; people too dangerous to live in society. Dark halls and flickering lights and ceaseless screaming.

He's been in enough of them now to know they're nothing like that.

And, more often than not, the people inside are being protected from themselves more than society from them.

Like with Loki…

Like with his little brother.

The only person Loki's ever hurt has been himself.

And he's only like that because…

Because everyone else seems to hurt him all the time too.

Thor realizes he's gripping the steering wheel hard enough to make his knuckles go white, and abruptly he lets it go, steadying himself, before at last he reaches for the door handle and gets out of the truck.

Begins making his way across the lot.

He has to at least try.

/

"How long do they think this time?"

Loki isn't looking at him.

He's slumped in the chair opposite, fidgeting absently with his hands, already dressed in their standard issue hospital scrubs.

Thor's eyes fall across his too thin arms. Pale and skinny.

There's a bandage over the crook of his left elbow, where they gave him a sedative, even though he's been told Loki hadn't caused any commotion. It's just a precaution, they say, something they do with all their patients to keep them relaxed.

Thor doesn't quite believe it.

He hates what the drugs do to his brother. His normally sharp, bright eyes dulled and half-lidded. Precise and agile movements made sluggish and tired.

And his voice…

Loki has a tongue of silver usually, articulate and fast and cutting.

Now he speaks slowly and half-unsure sounding, like he can't quite form his thoughts into words.

Eyes moving over his forearms, Thor sees the faded remnants of long healed scars, standing out pinkish and raised against snow white skin. Smaller cuts Loki has inflicted onto himself.

At his wrists, the scars are more pronounced and thicker, doubled over from multiple attempts. Ugly. Marring the otherwise delicate bend and blue veins running through the joints.

Loki's fingers are a little bit dirty, dirt caked underneath the nails, knuckles raw and bruised from hitting something.

Loki punches walls, Thor knows. He gets so angry sometimes.

Loki shrugs, thin shoulders barely rising, his pronounced collarbone showing just above the low cut collar of his singlet.

"Dr. Banner says a week…" he answers, voice soft. "For observation."

Thor stares back at him a moment, saying nothing, before finally his gaze drops away.

"… I'm sorry Loki."

"Don't."

Thor looks up at him, and Loki's still glancing away.

He shakes his head.

"Just don't." He repeats.

"I just want you to be okay." Thor tries once more.

And then the temper flares.

Loki slams his palms against the table, the sound loud and echoing through the room.

Thor flinches, and glances around nervously, seeing the various nurses looking concerned in their direction.

"Loki, don't…" Thor whispers harshly to him, trying urgently to calm him.

"Then don't _patronize _me Thor." Loki at last raises his eyes, vibrant green boring into him, smoldering anger barely kept in check.

Thor frowns.

"… I wasn't trying to." He mutters after a moment.

And the coiled tension which had been building in his little brothers frame seems at once to dissipate, and he slumps down again, head bowing, hair falling into his face.

His hands slide off the table and into his lap, and he goes silent.

Awkward silence stretches for several minutes, Thor struggling to figure out what to say.

He never knows how Loki is going to react to anything. He's become so volatile in recent years.

"… A weeks not so bad." He finally says, stiffly and anxious.

Loki scoffs, turning his head aside and gazing intently at some indistinct spot across the room.

"Easy to say when you're not the one in here." He says bitterly, and Thor feels his heart sink.

"I didn't think…" he starts to say, and Loki turns to him sharply.

"Don't _lie _to me Thor." He cuts his older brother off with a hiss. "You're no good at it."

Again he looks away, saying more softly…

"You knew exactly what would happen if you told Mom and Dad."

And Thor can't deny that.

He did know.

It's why he told them in the first place.

He's just so scared for Loki.

Another, long few seconds of silence, and Thor tries a different tact.

"Mom'll be by later in the day." He says.

"Great." Loki returns flatly.

And suddenly he's shaking his head.

"I can't afford to miss my assignments." He complains. "I've already lost credits for the three weeks from before."

Thor latches onto that.

"I can pick up your homework from your classes and bring it to you here." He offers.

Loki glances briefly at him, before looking away once more and shrugging.

"… Okay." He says after a moment, barely audible.

Thor feels some relief over it.

"Anything you need brother, you just ask." He says.

And he dares to reach out, placing a giant hand over Loki's much smaller one, grasping his fingers gently round the fragile wrist.

He half expects Loki to jerk away.

But he does nothing. Just sits in silence.

His skin is too cold.

"Okay?" Thor asks.

And Loki nods.

"… Okay."

/

**AN: Hey, a huge thank you again to everyone who read and reviewed and faved, etc… Your support is hugely appreciated, and I'm happy to know you're enjoying the story. Hope you liked this chapter, and let me know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

The next time Darcy sees Loki, it isn't until a week and a half after the blow up in the student parking lot between her and Thor and Jane.

She and Jane have since "reconciled", and Darcy has to laugh at the term. The two of them have bickered constantly since elementary school, and had their little fallings out.

And subsequently, Thor _hasn't _broken up with her.

Jane could be such a drama queen sometimes, but that's part of why Darcy loves her. Some people might call her a bitch, but Darcy knows it's only because Jane _cares _so damned much.

She's moving through the hallway, late to her 5th period when she sees him, and another boy, and her heart nearly drops down through her stomach at the sight.

Loki is pressed up against a row of lockers.

The boy, she knows him, a senior named Doug, has his palms pressed flat on either side of Loki's head, effectively trapping him where he stands. He's taller than Loki by a good three inches, and Darcy suddenly remembers what Jane told her about Loki's age. He's only twelve. Doug is seventeen, and shock is suddenly turning very quickly to disgust, and then rage…

Doug smirks.

"Hey freak," he begins, and Loki is staring up at him with glacial eyes. "heard you just got back from a stint in the loony bin."

Doug leans closer, cutting the space between them to mere inches.

"How was that?" He asks.

Loki wants to lean out of the older boys space, wants to duck under his arms and run away. But there's no where to go. He's stuck, and he knows if he tries to escape, he'll just get slammed back against the lockers.

He sneers.

"Why?" He asks, calm voice betraying none of his nervousness. "Are you looking at options Doug? Somewhere to check yourself in? I would say you'd fit right in along all the other lunatics, what with your obvious anger control issues and violent tendenci…"

He's cut short suddenly by a rough hand pressing flat over his mouth and his face being shoved aside until his cheek is crushing flat against the cold metal of the lockers.

"Shut up freak." The older boy spits.

Loki can feel already the grip is too strong for him to escape, and his eyes close as Doug reaches down and grabs hold of his right arm, jerking it up and stretching it out, pressing it flat and pinning it above his head.

It hurts, pain ratcheting down through his shoulder, and Loki works not to cry out.

He hears Doug laugh.

"Look at all them _scars_!" He breaths out in false astonishment. "Say, freak, how many times you tried to kill yourself now? Rumors going round it's about a dozen times. 'Cept you keep failing cause you're some kind of sissy. What kind of loser can't even kill himself?"

Loki tries pulling his arm free, the pain growing worse as Doug wrenches it harder. But he isn't strong enough, and his free hand comes up, grasping over the older boys wrist. Meaty fingers dig into his cheeks, nails threatening to break the skin, and Loki curses himself for the sting he feels in his eyes, refocusing all his effort into not letting any tears escape.

"Hey, freak, what's the matter?" Doug continues. "Why don't you say nothin'?"

"Let him the hell alone Doug!"

Loki's body stiffens, eyes flying open.

He can't move, and he can't turn his head to see the owner of the voice. But he recognizes it instantly. The girl who came up to him on the back field the week before last.

The older boy's head whips around to find Darcy standing not three feet from them, arms crossed over her chest, face pulled in a scowl of disgust.

"What?" Doug asks stupidly.

And Darcy nods her head towards Loki, still being pressed against the lockers.

"I said let him go, douche bag." She repeats calmly.

Doug glares at her, frowning.

"And why the hell should I do that?" He spits back.

"Because if you don't, I'm gonna start a rumor about you and Christina and how you two haven't fucked yet because despite her practically throwing herself on you, you still can't get it up around her."

Doug stares at her in disbelief a moment, shocked, before his face twists in anger.

"Fucking bitch…" he starts, and she waves him off.

"Yeah, yeah, like I haven't heard that one before." She says. "Now are you gonna let him go, or do you want your reputation to be mud by this time tomorrow afternoon? It's up to you, big boy."

For long seconds more, Doug stares at her, as if trying to determine whether she's bluffing or not. Darcy never breaks eye contact, glaring right back.

Until finally, with a growl of frustration, he steps back, away from Loki, pulling his hand away from his mouth. Before letting go completely, he grabs hold of the smaller boy's collar and shoves him hard to the floor, Loki crashing against his knees and elbows, Doug sauntering away without another word.

Darcy doesn't spare him another glance, rushing over to Loki's side, bending down beside him.

"Are you alright?" She begins, grasping his elbow gently, trying to help him to his feet.

She isn't expecting him to so suddenly shove her away from him.

"Let me alone." He mutters under his breath, pushing himself up slowly.

He turns away from her, and Darcy notices his hand coming up, wiping at his eyes before he makes it fully to his feet.

And then he begins to walk away, and Darcy gapes after him a moment.

"Hey, wait a second!" She shouts finally, taking off after him. "I just saved your butt back there!"

"I didn't ask you to." He dismisses her without slowing his stride. "So leave me be."

But Darcy isn't having it. She breaks into a jog and cuts him off, stepping in front of him.

Again she notices how much taller than her he is, but after facing off against Thor, his little brother doesn't strike a very intimidating figure.

He stops, glaring down at her, and this close, she can see his eyes are glassy, like he's on the verge of tears.

You would never guess it from his hateful expression.

"What's your problem?" She asks. "I was just trying to help you!"

"I DON'T WANT YOUR HELP!" He shouts abruptly, the unexpected rise of his voice causing her to flinch back.

His hands are clenched to fists at his side, and he's shaking.

"What do you want from me?" He continues heatedly, voice growing quiet again. "Why are you bothering me?"

Darcy regards him carefully, frowning slightly at how upset he is.

"… I just thought maybe we could be friends." She begins, uncertain.

"Why?" He asks. "Why do you want to be my friend?"

For a moment, Darcy's mind goes blank, and she just stares back at him a long instant before she finds her voice again.

"… Because you seemed like maybe you needed one, or…"

Loki's expression shifts into one of resigned understanding, his brow deeply furrowed and mouth a thin line of disgust.

"Because you feel _sorry_ for me." He states, not a question. "I don't _need_ your pity. I don't _want_ it. I just want you to leave me the hell alone! Okay? Just leave me alone…"

His voice trails off, and suddenly he's looking away from her, frame going rigid.

Darcy can see he's struggling to control himself, can tell by how rapidly his chest rises and falls.

And at once, he's pushing past her, face still turned away.

Darcy turns with him, watching him moving back down the hall.

"HEY!" She shouts, and he freezes, standing stiff.

She comes back around him, refusing to just let it drop there.

"You ever wonder why you don't have any friends?" She asks hotly, angry. "Maybe it's because you act like such a _dick_ all the time! Who would want to be friends with that? I'm just trying to be _nice_ to you, but it's like you don't even know how to respond to that! I mean, what's your fucking _problem _Loki?"

He won't look at her, his face still turned aside.

She sees him swallow thickly, and long moments seem to stretch in silence.

Until finally she hears him say, voice almost too soft to hear…

"You're right." He says. "I don't have any friends..."

He turns to her, and she sees a single tear escape down his left cheek.

He wipes it away viciously before it's made its full track, and without another word, he's pushing past her again, striding quickly away.

Darcy realizes her mistake in that very instant, and she turns.

"Loki! Wait!" She calls after him. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean that! I had no right!"

But he isn't listening. He doesn't stop.

And she can only stand and stare as he turns, disappearing from view down another hallway an instant after.

For a long moment, she can't move, until at last, she snaps out of it, turning, a growl of frustration ripping from her throat.

She lashes out, kicking at one of the locker doors, the sound clanging and echoing through the empty hall, before she begins making her way towards the school exit.

She doesn't care about missing class.

She can't deal with that now.

She can't deal with any of this.

/

_He wakes with a start, a sharp gasp tearing from his lips._

_And all he knows is pain._

_Body on fire and burning through every inch._

_He flails, crying out and thrashing, blind and suffocating panic taking his insides and twisting everything out of shape._

_There are hands on him suddenly, pushing him down, too strong for him to escape, and he screams, tossing his head back and forth._

"_NO!" He cries desperately. "NO! NO!"_

_There are voices, but he can't make out the words. Only laughter, cruel and cutting and ripping through his ears. _

"_Hurry up with it!" Someone shouts, and Loki struggles harder, sight now blinded by tears, pooling thick and unceasing in his eyes, everything only shapes now, only distorted mass and shadows._

_Monsters coming for him in the dark…_

_There are more hands, grabbing his wrists, his ankles, pressing his shoulders down._

"_NO!" He cries again._

_And then there is a sharp prick along the crook of his elbow, and things go soft at the edges._

"… _no…" he whimpers softly, strength draining from him like water through a sieve._

_Tears hot and wet down his temples, slipping into short, sheered hair._

_And then there is nothing._

_He doesn't see his Mother or Father or brother there._

_Doesn't see Frigga bury her face against Odin's shoulder and weep uncontrollably._

_Or Thor's own tear stained cheeks, hands curled and kneading through golden locks._

"_He'll be alright for now Mrs. Odinson." A doctor tells her, trying to reassure the woman._

_But she knows that's a lie._

_Because she can't even look at her son._

_She can't even look at him…_

_Her boy…_

_Beaten and broken as he is._


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5:**

Loki kicks the empty soda can, watching it skid only a few, short feet ahead, and he frowns at it, thinking pitifully of Thor kicking a can two days earlier, and how the thing had gone sailing through the air, landing what must have been close to a hundred feet away.

He clutches his books to his chest, eyes falling, fixing on the pavement below his feet as he trudges forward.

He knows he should be in school right now. That he shouldn't be missing any more classes. Not after spending a week in the hospital…

But he felt like he couldn't breathe in that place, not after his encounter with… that girl.

He'd gone straight to his locker and grabbed his stuff, and now he was wandering home.

He knew both Mom and Dad would be at work still. It was only 11:30 in the morning still. They would probably get all concerned when they found out he skipped school and ask him nine million questions about _why_. And he knew that Thor would freak out when he went to go get him at the end of the day and wouldn't find him in his usual waiting spot.

But at the moment, Loki couldn't really bring himself to care.

Walking for a short time more, he is suddenly struck by a kind of dread, a tightening in his chest at the prospect of sitting in his room, alone for hours, before anyone else shows back up at the house. He can already feel himself starting to hyperventilate.

This happens to him all the time.

Panic attacks, Dr. Banner calls them. He's told Loki when it occurs, he should just sit down wherever he is and breathe and try to calm himself down.

And Loki isn't about to argue.

He feels dizzy, and that's all it takes.

He sinks down onto the curb on the sidewalk, dropping his books between his legs.

Leaning forward, he holds his head in his hands, eyes squeezing shut tight.

Short, panicked gasps escape between his lips, and he feels shaky all of a sudden, a familiar, humiliating sting pressing behind his lids.

"_Breathe Loki, breathe, breathe, breathe_…" he thinks desperately to himself.

And it takes a long while, before the attack finally passes over him, leaving him trembling and cold, and he wraps his arms around himself, still panting, sweat having broken out across his forehead, eyes still firmly closed against the bright, afternoon sun.

And it _is_ the afternoon, he realizes, as he finally forces his eyes open and catches sight of his watch. He's been sitting here for over half an hour.

He shakes his head, folding his arms over his knees and laying his forehead against them.

He feels tired now, as he always does after these attacks.

Weak.

His arm hurts viciously where that boy twisted it so hard earlier, and Loki knows without even having to look that it's bruised already.

He's going to have to make sure he keeps it covered. No t-shirts then. Otherwise Thor and Mom will freak, and start harassing him again.

Dad probably wouldn't even notice…

Thor would be the worst though.

With his overbearing, suffocating protectiveness.

Loki's fingers bury in his hair, tugging unaware at the strands as he thinks about it, hardly noticing the pain which flairs across his scalp.

He knows Thor means well, but…

He doesn't know how to tell his older brother how humiliating it is, when he gets so violently defensive of him, and starts threatening every and any one who the older boy thinks even _looks_ at Loki in a strange way.

He doesn't know how to tell Thor that everyone teases him when he's not there, laughing about how he needs his big brother to protect him, because he's too weak to protect himself.

Doesn't know how to tell Thor how embarrassed he is because it's _true_.

And Loki only feels greater humiliation still because he thinks, deep down, he doesn't _really_ want Thor to stop at all. Because deep down, Loki really _is_ afraid of getting hurt. Of the bullies he knows would be having a free for all with him now if Thor wasn't there, keeping them at bay.

He doesn't know _what_ he wants, damn it all. He doesn't know…

Suddenly he becomes aware of the pain at the roots of his hair, realizes he's pulling at it hard now, and slowly, he uncurls his fingers, aching from how tightly he'd been clenching them, and lowers his hands from his head, blinking rapidly as though coming out of some fog.

He needs to stop thinking about this, before he works himself into another panic attack.

He needs to think…

Abruptly, his thoughts shift to that girl.

Darcy Lewis.

Loki knows her by association. He's seen her with Jane in the halls of the school often, though she's never come over to the house like Jane, thank God.

He's never had occasion to think of her beyond that, and he doesn't understand her sudden interest in him.

She claims she wants to be his friend, but Loki is sure that's a lie.

Oh, he's sure, because he's heard that so many times, only for it to turn out…

Only for it to turn out…

He shakes his head at the unwanted memories, face scowling at his own, previous weakness, at the still lingering hurt of it, when those he so foolishly though might like him proved only to be his greatest tormenters…

/

Darcy finds Jane with Thor, the latter seeming in a panic, the former following behind with a look one part frustrated, a larger part concerned, and Darcy calls out to her best friend.

"Jane?!"

And the other girl turns, finding her face halfway down the hall.

Darcy jogs up to her and Thor, who hasn't even turned, who continues to walk forward, sticking his head through each door he passes by, apparently scanning the rooms.

"What's going on?" Darcy asks.

And Jane sighs, waiting until Darcy's caught up with her before she begins again after Thor.

"Loki's missing." She says.

"What?"

"Thor went to go find him in his usual spot today, after 7th period let out, and he wasn't there." Jane goes on to explain, having to quicken her pace to keep up with her boyfriend. "And now he's freaking."

"Uhhh," Darcy suddenly stops, face folding into an almost guilty expression.

Jane stops with her, glancing back.

"What is it?" She asks.

"Well," Darcy begins, eyes flitting to Thor, who's very clearly been listening despite his distracted appearance, because he's stopped to and is looking at her with horrifyingly accusatory eyes.

Darcy swallows thickly.

"I saw him today," she begins, and Thor immediately cuts her off.

"Where?"

"Just before 4th." She answers. "I saw him in the hallway, in the math wing. He was…" and here she hesitates, slightly wary of Thor's reaction. "Some Senior was picking on him, had him pressed up against the lockers and…"

Thor's expression turns absolutely livid, and Darcy is overcome by the urgent desire to step back.

She holds her ground.

"I stepped in." She adds hastily. "Ran the jerk off. I went to help your brother," she addresses Thor directly now. "tried to see if he was okay, and he kind of snapped at me. Told me to leave him alone."

She looks down, shuffling her feet.

"I didn't want to make him any angrier. He seemed really upset, so I just let him go."

She thinks about admitting to the heated exchange they had, but glancing up and seeing the look across the giant boys face, she doesn't think suddenly it's such a great idea to tell Thor she yelled at his little brother.

"He's likely gone home then." Thor finally speaks, and begins down the opposite direction they'd been going, brushing past both Jane and Darcy.

For a moment, the two girls only stand there, staring after him, until Thor looks back over his shoulder, impatient.

"Are you coming or not?" He asks.

Jane leaps forward, Darcy soon after, pressing down her surprise at the invitation.

She nearly swallows her own tongue when, upon making it to Thor's truck and pulling out of the parking lot, the older boy tells her thank you, that she has his gratitude for helping his brother, and Darcy mumbles out it was what anyone would do.

And Thor shakes his head.

"No," he says. "it isn't."

/

They make it to Thor's and Loki's house in what seems seconds, Thor paying no heed to speed limits or suburban street laws. He's clearly agitated and anxious and Darcy realizes quickly that he isn't at all sure they'll find Loki at the house, and if they don't, she fears what exactly will happen.

She wonders idly if this is something that's happened before, or often. Loki not being where he's _supposed_ to be, and everyone losing their minds over it.

Not for the first time, Darcy finds herself almost morbidly curious about just why there's so much concern over Loki and why it seems so vital that he never be left on his own. She's only been able to speculate given what information she's gathered from Jane and Thor himself.

Whatever it is, Darcy's smart enough to know it isn't anything good.

Pulling into the driveway, Thor is out of the truck in moments, striding with purpose towards the front door, Jane and Darcy following reluctantly behind.

Darcy holds back slightly, unsure.

She feels like she's about to intrude on something she has no business in, and yet, she continues on, waiting as Thor pulls the door to his house open and marches in, immediately calling out Loki's name.

It turns out to be unnecessary, as there Loki is, sitting cross legged on the living room couch, book in hand. He looks up, eyes finding his older brother quickly.

He begins to smile weakly, mouth coming open, explanation already on his lips to ease his worried sibling. But the words die fast in his throat as he catches movement behind the larger boy, finding first Jane, and then Darcy.

He drops the book and _scrambles _off the couch, stepping back.

"What's she doing here?" He asks, voice cold and accusatory. His eyes move back to Thor, narrowed in anger.

"Uh," Darcy begins awkwardly, uncertain. "Maybe I should just…"

Whatever she's going to say doesn't make it the rest of the way from her lips, as Thor moves like lightening, suddenly upon Loki.

And whatever anger had been in Loki's face vanishes instantly as Thor takes hold of him by the arms, squeezing tightly, and he begins to _shake_ the younger boy.

"Where WERE you!?" Thor demands, voice boomingly loud, and Loki has gone absolutely still, frozen and staring up at his brother with stricken eyes. "Answer me Loki!" Thor demands. "Where were you?!"

Again, he shakes Loki.

And Darcy is struck by the image of a rag doll being thrown back and forth in the mouth of a dog.

"You NEVER DO THAT LOKI!" Thor screams now. "YOU NEVER DISAPPEAR LIKE THAT, DO YOU HEAR ME!?" Another shake. "I thought… God damn it, I thought you'd been…"

And Thor halts, vicious memories rushing unbidden back into his mind.

He sees the thicket of trees comprising the forest behind their old school in London. Himself, rushing through it in a cold panic, searching frantically, eyes wide and fearful.

Sees Loki… Oh God, _God_… His eight year old little brother, fragile, tiny Loki, lying there in the woods, unconscious, stripped naked and _beaten_. So badly, badly beaten, face near to unrecognizable it is so broken and swollen and covered in _blood_. Thin, thin body mottled in bruises and contusions so deep, they're nothing but purely black.

Hears his own, terrified screaming as he drops beside the unmoving form of the boy, grabbing hold of him and pulling him to his chest. Hears his own, uncontrolled sobs as he lifts him up and runs… _runs_ with him back to the school, back for help.

Oh God, God, Loki needs _help_…

"I'm sorry."

He's pulled back to the present suddenly by the sound of his brother's voice, barely audible.

"What?!" Thor snaps, looking down at him.

Loki is no longer looking up, his face turned away, and he feels boneless in Thor's giant hands… weak…

"I'm sorry." He repeats, just as softly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry… I'm…"

"Never do that again Loki!" Thor's voice is raised. "Never do that again, do you…"

And suddenly there is a hand on his forearm, and he glances aside, and he sees Darcy standing there, staring up at him, mouth pulled in a deep frown.

"Thor," she says. "you're hurting him. Let him go."

Thor stares down at her, confused.

"Let him _go _Thor, you're _hurting _him!" She says, louder, more insistently, digging her fingers into his skin, almost painfully.

And it is abruptly, it comes to Thor. Realizes what he's doing. Almost in a daze, his fingers loosen their hold on his brother's thin arms, hands falling away. And it's like some surreal dream, as he watches Loki collapse in front of him, his knees giving out beneath his weight, and Darcy is there, catching him, holding him under his arms and across his back, pulling him towards the couch, nearly half-carrying him there.

Loki slips limply onto it, falling back against the cushions, letting himself be arranged by Darcy like some kind of doll or puppet, like he has no strength to resist at all.

And suddenly Darcy is telling someone to get her a glass of water, to hurry the hell up, and it's Jane who runs to the kitchen, and is back half a minute later with a full glass, handing it to the other girl, Darcy taking it and pressing it delicately into Loki's hands.

Loki's hands, which are shaking viciously, and Darcy helps him, cups her own around his and guides them gently to his lips, helps him to tip the glass back slowly and drink.

"It's okay." She's saying softly, lifting a hand and brushing the younger boy's hair back off his forehead, sticky with a thick layer of sweat. "It's okay, just breathe." She goes on. "Just breathe. You'll be alright."

And Loki does.

He gasps in breath, deep and desperate, again and again.

And he can't stop shaking.

But Darcy doesn't let him go.

She holds on.

She doesn't let him go…

/

**AN: Hey everyone! Hope you're continuing to enjoy this story! Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter! It means more to me than I can say! Let me know what you thought of this one. Hopefully, the friendship between Loki and Darcy will start to take shape from here on out. But we'll have to wait and see.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

"_How are you feeling today Loki?"_

_Dr. Bruce Banner leans forward in his seat, regarding the ten year old slip of a boy who sits across from him, seeming tiny and dwarfed by the large, plush leather chair he currently occupies._

_Loki doesn't answer him. Doesn't even look at him._

_He's sitting with his arms wrapped around his torso, like he's trying to make himself disappear, if only he could pull himself into a tight enough space._

_Bruce frowns slightly._

_He doesn't expect Loki to answer him. He hasn't at all to _any _question that's been asked him the past month he's been attending these sessions._

_But Bruce asks them anyway, because the boy needs someone to do so. He needs someone to know they care, clichéd and corny as that sounds._

_And he knows, _knew _from the moment this kid was brought in to him, the issues he was going through were well over his parent's heads to deal with._

_Ten years old, an already once he'd attempted to take his own life._

_Bruce had seen it before, in young children, but this case seemed particularly extreme._

_It was after the boy's parents had found him unconscious in the bathroom of their home, wrists slit and rapidly bleeding to death, that they'd decided he needed psychotherapy. _

_From all of the information he's been given, it seems obvious for Bruce to call it a classic case of post traumatic stress. _

_But what concerns the doctor are the details._

_Loki and his family had moved from England to the States less than a year ago. He's told, partially because his father's business had dictated such, but mostly for the child's own benefit. They thought it might help their son, to be away from London. To be in an entirely new environment. _

_A logical thought, to be sure, Bruce had told them. But Loki's condition, apparently, hadn't improved much if at all from the change, and than this past month, things had taken a turn for the worse. _

_Bruce has tried asking Loki about what happened to him._

_Loki hasn't responded at all. Only sat there with his face turned away._

_Occasionally, he'll cry, if Bruce becomes too aggressive or forward with his questions. But the way Loki cries is upsetting to the doctor._

_He doesn't make a sound. Tears just seem to spring abruptly to his eyes and slip down his thin face freely, while Loki remains completely still and silent._

_It seems, to Bruce, almost like the child is afraid of making any noise, even while being unable to stop completely the show of emotion. _

_The doctor knows what happened, or at least, knows as much as Loki's parents do._

_A little less than two years ago, Loki's older brother, then aged thirteen, had gone looking for him when he hadn't been in his usual waiting spot after school, and had found him in the woods behind, unconscious, beaten half to death and in critical condition._

_Bruce pushes the thoughts away, angry and upset. He knows it's something he'll have to try and get Loki to open up about to him eventually, but they aren't anywhere close to being ready for that._

_The beating had been so bad, according to the boy's parents, that for seven and a half months following it, Loki had experienced total blindness in his left eye, and occasional blindness in his right._

_When that would happen, they'd told the doctor, the child would fall into hysteria, screaming and crying and shaking uncontrollably. Terrified that he'd gone completely blind._

_But Loki had also gone mute._

_After waking up from a coma which had lasted two weeks, he hadn't spoken a word beyond his initial cries of no, and that had continued to now. _

_It wasn't the result of any physical damage to his vocal cords or lungs. _

_He just wouldn't speak._

_And so he'd been unable or unwilling to say who it was that had attacked him._

_Or talk about what had really happened. _

_And Bruce finds himself incredibly concerned with this boy._

_He doesn't think he can help him if Loki doesn't talk to him._

_He knows Loki hears what he says. _

_He reacts in small ways. Shifts in movement. _

_And occasionally he'll look at Bruce, and he has such _intelligent_ eyes._

_Bruce thinks there's a heaviness in the boy's gaze, a wariness and skepticism and measure which isn't normal… isn't natural for a child so young._

_Bruce knows he hears and understands him._

_And so he keeps trying._

_He sighs softly, leaning back, eyes trained still on the small figure before him. Absently he removes his glasses and cleans the lenses on his shirt._

"_I want to help you Loki." He says. "I know that probably sounds like a bunch of crap to you, but I mean it. But I can't do that if you aren't willing to at least try and work with me."_

_Finally, he draws a response, Loki glancing his way, eyes catching his own for a fleeting moment before again turning away._

"_I know you're in pain." Bruce tries, voice soft. "I know you're hurting."_

_And Loki shakes his head, eyes trained down, fixed on some indistinct spot along the carpeted floor._

_Bruce watches him carefully._

"_No, you're not in pain? Or no, you don't want to talk about this?" He asks._

_Again, Loki only shakes his head, but Bruce can see him trembling, very slightly now. And Loki's hands come up, burying in his hair, head shaking once more, more emphatic. _

_Without thinking, Bruce leans forward, reaching out a hand, fingers brushing softly against Loki's thin shoulder, hoping to reassure._

_He regrets it almost instantly._

_Loki erupts, a half-broken, strangled cry tearing from his lips, small hands coming up to push the doctor away, the effort weak and pitiful against Bruce's thick, strong arms._

_Immediately, Bruce rears back, taking his hand off the boy, and watches in dismay as Loki presses in to the chairs back, curling around himself, arms coming up over his head._

_He is breathing ragged and uneven, for long seconds, the only sound filling the room._

"… _Loki." The doctor begins after a hesitant moment. "It's alright son. I'm not going to hurt you."_

_But Loki isn't responding now, doesn't say anything._

_/_

_It isn't until three months later when Loki finally speaks._

_When he looks at Dr. Banner with desperation in his eyes, and says his first words in over two years._

"_Help me." He says. _

_And Bruce nods._

_He promises he will._

"Help me…"

He gasps, sucking in a panic at the open air, trying to force it into his lungs. He can't breathe.

He doesn't feel like he can breathe.

Oh, God…

"Help…" he nearly whimpers, and Darcy keeps her hold on him, carding her fingers through his damp hair, shushing him, telling him over and over that it's okay, that it's alright, telling him to breathe.

Just breathe.

Loki shakes his head frantically, tears gathered in his wide eyes, slipping unbidden down his cheeks.

"No," he struggles.

His head lifts.

"No, Th… Thor… Thor!" He cries, gaze searching desperately for the older boy.

When he sees him, he lurches forward, almost falling from the couch.

"Thor, help me!" His voice is ragged and broken, and Darcy eases him back against the cushions, even as Thor comes near and crouches down beside her, looking up at his little brother, reaching a hand out and resting it upon Loki's shoulder.

"I'm right here Loki." He says, voice softer than either Jane or Darcy have ever heard it. "It's alright. I'm here."

Loki reaches out frantically, thin, shaking fingers grasping to the older boy's forearm, hold weak. His eyes are blown wide and glassy.

"I ca… can't… I can't b-breathe T-Thor, I can't…!"

"Loki, just stay calm, and inhale, like we've talked about. Just take a deep breath." Thor instructs, trying to keep himself calm.

Every time this happens to his brother, he feels himself panicking, the threat of fear trying to overtake him.

"Yeah, like this." Darcy starts, and she takes a deep breath, demonstrating. "Just like I'm doing. See?"

Loki's eyes snap to her, staring a moment in confusion. His face in slightly red, strained.

She takes another deep breath to show him.

"Just like that." She says, smiling faintly.

A long instant more passes, and suddenly he gasps in, inhaling deep and desperate.

"That's it." Darcy encourages, squeezing his other hand. "That's really good."

And Loki breathes in again, and again, pulling air into his lungs in great mouthfuls.

Until, eventually, his breathing becomes softer, more controlled, and the trembling in his limbs lessens, though still a tremor runs visibly through him.

When it's all said and done, Darcy lets the younger boy go, standing and stepping back, letting Thor take over.

Jane is standing a few feet from the couch, nervously biting her fingernails, eyes wide and worried.

Darcy reaches out, grabbing hold of her hand, and Jane starts slightly, glancing at her.

"He's alright." She whispers, and Jane nods absently.

Jane acts like she doesn't care about people, can act cold sometimes, but Darcy knows it's just a cover. That she acts like that because sometimes she cares too much, and she hates to see anyone suffer.

Thor is talking softly to Loki now, nearly whispering to him, holding on to the smaller boy's hands. Loki's eyes are turned down, and he's nodding, still shaking slightly.

Darcy doesn't know what set him off like that, or what set Thor off, for that matter. Why he was so… _angry_, why he seemed to lose it, yelling at and shaking the brother whom Darcy had only ever seen him treat with the care of a china doll.

Whatever it was, things seem to have calmed down now. Things seem okay.

And it's after a time, when Loki's quieted completely, slumped against Thor and still, that Thor turns to the two girls, arm wrapped protectively across Loki's back, holding him against his chest, that he explains he's going to take his brother to his room and lay him down to rest.

Both Jane and Darcy nod, saying that they should probably head home now anyway.

Thor asks if they need a ride, and they shake their heads.

Each of them lives only a few blocks away, and they'll be alright.

Thor thanks them then, turning to Darcy specifically and nodding, and the girls nod back, watching as he helps Loki to his feet, and the two of them walk slowly across the room, the younger boy clinging to Thor almost desperately as he leads them up the stairs.

Neither of them say much to each other on their way out, just brief goodbyes and promises of seeing each other on Monday.

And then they part ways, each of their minds consumed with images of a trembling boy, eyes wide and thick with despair.

/

It's on Monday when she spots him.

And she'd been looking.

She'd seen Thor earlier that day, in Biology, and she'd asked him how Loki was, and Thor, this time, had nodded, and said he was doing alright, and thanked her for her concern.

Darcy considers it a victory, that Thor no longer looks at her with quite so much suspicion or vengeful wrath whenever she mentions his little brother. She hopes he sees now that her concern is genuine, her interest sincere.

Getting Loki to believe that, though, that presented a whole different set of challenges.

And Darcy finds herself determined to meet them head on.

So when she sees him finally, sat along and at the end of an empty lunch table in the cafeteria, she doesn't hesitate in making her approach.

He's picking at the crust of a mostly uneaten sandwich, she sees, and she frowns slightly as she draws closer, realizing for the first time it seems just how _thin_ this kid is. She's never seen him take more than a few bites of anything, and she wonders how much he eats.

It can't be a lot, given he looks like a strong breeze might knock him over.

Of course, that could just be genetics too. He's got a naturally slight build, it looks like. But then, Thor looks like he's built out of cinder blocks, so she doesn't know.

She decides one thing at a time, and that Loki probably wouldn't like her worrying over his weight.

So she puts it out of her mind and purposefully makes a ruckus as she plops down in the seat opposite him.

He looks up, startled, and Darcy immediately feels sort of bad. That's the second time she's caught him unawares, and she wonders about it. He seems lost in his own mind to her.

"Hi." She smiles, watching as the shock slowly melts from his fine features, and he seems physically to shrink down in his seat, eyes drifting away.

He says nothing, and Darcy can see he isn't going to unless she forces the issue.

She leans forward slightly, trying to think best how to approach him without scaring him off.

"You're welcome." She says finally.

And that does the trick.

He looks back to her, his eyes momentarily confused.

"What?" He asks.

She grins. She loves his accent, she thinks.

"You're welcome." She repeats. And when she sees his confusion grow, she elaborates. "For the other day, at your house. Was just doing what any concerned citizen would."

The dawning realization in his eyes of what she's referring to would be funny, if not for the utter shame she sees sink in not an instant later, his face flushing as he looks away.

Darcy frowns.

She had been trying to make light of the situation, to ease in to it so he wouldn't feel awkward about seeing her again.

Apparently, that hadn't been the right move.

"Hey…" she says softly, all humor gone from her tone. "It's alright. You don't need to be embarrassed. Everyone has their moments."

"I'm not embarrassed." He mumbles so softly, she almost doesn't hear him.

She smiles.

"Okay." She says.

A moment passes in silence, and then she hears him ask…

"Are you going to tell people?"

Darcy's brow creases.

"Huh?" She questions.

He glances at her, and she sees his hands are gripped into white knuckled fists on the tabletop.

"About what you saw?" He continues. "Are you going to tell people?"

Darcy feels a burst of incredulousness.

"No, of course not." She says. "Why would I…"

But he just looks away then, eyes trailing down the mostly empty cafeteria, and Darcy doesn't know how, but she suddenly understands why he would ask that, and she feels her heart sink a little.

He has it hard here, this kid.

Reaching into her opened backpack, she pulls out her Algebra 2 textbook, deciding to try something else.

Placing it on the table, she slides it towards him and starts…

"Hey, I was thinking,"

He still isn't looking at her, but she goes on anyway.

"You're smart, right?"

And now he glances her way, eyes unmistakably suspicious.

Darcy shrugs.

"Well, I just figure, since you're only twelve and in high school already." She smiles goofily at him. "Anyway, I'm, like, _this_ close to failing my Algebra 2 class, and we've got this freakin' test coming up next week that if I don't score at least a C on, I'm screwed. I'd ask Tony for help, but God, he can be such an insufferable dick. You know, rubbing your face in the fact he's just SO much smarter than you. And I'm kind of embarrassed to ask Jane, even though I totally know she would help. So I was wondering…"

She flips the textbook open to the chapter they're currently on and looks at him hopefully.

And for a moment, Loki doesn't seem to understand what she wants.

He's staring at her like she has two heads, like his mind isn't comprehending the words which just came from her lips.

"… Uh?" Darcy starts, uncertainly. "Is…"

"You want my help?" Loki cuts her off abruptly, disbelief clear in his voice.

Darcy blinks, and then shrugs.

"Sure, if you think you can." She answers.

For a long moment more, he just looks back at her, the same confusion across his face.

And then at once, he looks away, and Darcy feels her stomach drop in sickening dread as he turns his face, and she sees his entire frame wind tight.

He raises a hand, placing it over his eyes, and Darcy is overcome with the distinct impression he's fighting desperately against tears.

"Hey," she starts, concerned, beginning to reach across the table, thinking to touch his shoulder in some kind of reassurance.

But then he straightens, and still looking away, he nods, and says…

"If… if you want, I can help."

His eyes shift back to her, and there's so much trepidation and unguarded _hope_, it nearly steals Darcy's breath away.

She smiles, suddenly nervous.

"I do." She says, trying to make her voice firm.

And he nods again, and without another word, reaches for her book, pulling it towards him, asking quietly what sections she's having trouble with.

Darcy doesn't hesitate to move around to the other side and sit beside him, showing him exactly what she doesn't understand, and listening to his soft voice as he begins to explain it to her.

/

**AN: Thanks to everyone who's continued to read and review and follow along! Hope you enjoyed this chapter, and let me know what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

It's been two weeks since Darcy started hanging out with Loki under the pretense of him tutoring her.

She calls it pretense, because she likes to believe she keeps asking to come over to his house, and he keeps accepting, because he really _does _like her company.

Of course, he really is helping her too. In her math and science courses, and even a little with her English course. He's, like, _wicked smart_, and a good teacher. She knows she's been learning more from him these past few days than she thinks she ever has from any of her school's teachers in the past.

But today is kind of special, she realizes, because today is the first time she's been allowed up in to his actual bedroom.

Usually when she's come over, they've sat in the living room, or sometimes the kitchen.

But today, a Saturday, when she'd walked through the front door, it had been Thor who had answered it, and she'd been greeted by the sight of a group of his friends, all gathered in the living room, in front of the TV. Fandral and Volstagg and Hogun, she knew. And then Sif. All kids who went to their school.

She'd spoken to a couple of them a few times. Hogun and Sif always seemed pretty cool. But Fandral and Volstagg has always struck here as kind of assholes. And what she'd seen in that moment hadn't done anything to change that opinion.

Loki had been sitting near them. Curled up in one of the recliners off to the TV's side, not watching. Not really doing anything. Only he'd been holding himself in sort of a defensive posture, arms wrapped round his torso and knees drawn up to his chest, face turned down.

Darcy had frowned at the sight, an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach, and then Thor had left the room to go get more popcorn, and she'd seen the reason for Loki's appearance.

The second Thor had stepped out, Fandral had pulled out a straw from his pocket and started shooting spitballs at Loki. Sif had smacked him and told him half-heartedly to quit it, but Volstagg had just laughed, and Hogun hadn't said or done anything.

And Loki had just sat there, taking it, not even reacting when the disgusting balled up pieces of paper bounced off his forehead.

Darcy had felt enraged, and shocked, wondering if Thor knew, if he had any idea of the way his own friends treated his kid brother. And then she thought he must have no clue, because if he did, he would destroy them. And from everything she'd been able to pick up off of Loki in the past couple of weeks, he never would have told Thor he was being harassed either.

That was when she'd cleared her throat, letting everyone know she was in the room, and Loki's head had snapped up, eyes wide, and the most heartbreaking flash of relief had crossed his features before he'd tumbled out of his seat and rushed towards her, grabbing her by the hand and muttering that they were going upstairs.

She'd heard a few disbelieving words on the way up about Loki having a friend, and she'd felt her own hands clench in frustration.

But all of that is away from her mind at the moment, as she glances around the room they're in. Loki's bedroom.

She's gathered it's a kind of sanctuary for him, or something. And she's fascinated by what she sees.

It's a well sized space. Not particularly big, but not small either. She'd have thought it would be bigger, given how rich Thor and Loki's parents are, and the fact that their house is massive.

But it's about maybe a couple hundred square feet bigger than her room. And there's _books_.

_Lots _of books. Everywhere.

Lining bookshelves, and piled in stacks along his desk and floor and nightstand.

From the spines she can read where she's standing, he has broad taste. There's everything from scientific and mathematical and historical texts, to classic fiction authors, like Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, Walt Whitman, Jack London and Victor Hugo. Poetry by Emily Dickinson, and T.S. Elliot. On and on. And there's children's books too. The Velveteen Rabbit, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Beatrix Potter books.

Obviously, the kid loves to read.

She notices though there aren't any toys in the place, save for what looks like a well-loved teddy bear, sitting along the rumpled sheets and covers of a singles mattress bed.

There aren't any posters on the walls. No pictures of singers, or actors, or celebrities. No swimsuit models.

There's no computer, or videogame consoles either.

Nothing like what you'd think to find in a twelve year old boy's bedroom.

Just books, and what looks like reams of notebook paper, scattered about, covered in Loki's handwriting.

Stepping a little closer, and she sees most of them are filled in with mathematical equations. But nothing like what she'd ever seen before. This shit looks _advanced_. Like, advanced, college level whatever.

Absently, she picks one up, flipping through a couple of pages, eyes widening.

"Dude," she says in awe. "you're, like, _stupid smart_."

She turns around, and she sees him sitting there on his bed, hugging that worn out teddy bear to his chest, eyes not meeting hers, and suddenly she's reminded again of how young he is, and damn it, if he isn't the cutest thing ever in that moment.

He doesn't respond to her, and she walks closer, still holding the notebook.

"Dude, seriously." She says, holding it out to him and indicating its contents. "Why aren't you in college? You're way too smart for high school."

She sees him shrug, and he still isn't looking at her, still holding that bear against his chest like his life depends on it.

Darcy frowns slightly.

"I mean, you're like, probably at least as smart as Tony Stark. Maybe smarter even." She goes on.

And again, Loki shrugs, and then he says…

"Tony Stark is a jerk."

Darcy laughs a little.

"Yeah. He kinda is." She agrees. "But he's super smart too. I know for a fact the only reason he's still in high school is because he likes hanging out with his friends too much to go to college. He could've graduated from Harved or some shit by now."

Again, Loki shrugs, and says nothing.

Finally, Darcy puts the notebook back where she'd found it and moves over to him, cautiously sitting down on the bed, hoping it's okay to do so.

"Hey," she starts, reaching out and nudging him gently on the shoulder. "you okay?"

It's a stupid question. She knows he isn't. But he isn't going to tell her so, she knows.

He looks up at her with a confused expression, brow furrowed, lips pulled into a frown.

"Why wouldn't I be?" He asks, and it hurts her inside, because he sounds like he means it. Like he doesn't understand why he should be anything but alright.

A beat passes, because she doesn't know how to respond to that, and then Loki uncurls, dropping his teddy bear and grabbing for her bag, still slung over her shoulder.

"Let's get started." He says, changing the subject.

Darcy doesn't argue. Just lets him show her lessons for the next couple of hours, until it's time for her to go home.

/

It's a Tuesday, the next week, when things go bad again. Third period before Darcy hears about it.

She's in her biology class, sitting at her lab table with Jane, when she overhears two girls at the table over, giggling and talking excitedly about something.

Her heart hammers painfully in her chest when she picks out their words, slowly then morphing into anger.

"Did you hear about what happened in Hill's office earlier?" One of them asks. The other girl shakes her head, and the first goes on, laughing. "That freak Odinson apparently had some sort of epic meltdown," she says. "Punched his hand clean through a plate glass window and then tried crawling through it." She giggles again, like it's the funniest thing in the world. "Ms. Hill and a bunch of other office workers had to drag him back inside and then he tried _attacking _them! I heard he punched Ms. Hill right in the eye. What a freak, right!? I mean, _seriously_."

The other girl starts laughing hysterically, nodding in agreement, the two of them descending into an excited exchange of insults about Loki, and Darcy can't take it anymore.

She stands up, and she feels Jane reach out and grab her wrist, stopping her. She looks down, and Jane shakes her head, and Darcy pulls her wrist free and marches over to the girls anyway.

"Hey!" She starts, getting right in their faces, and they stop their stupid chattering and look up at her, wide eyed with surprise. "Why don't you two just shut the hell up?!" Darcy asks, disgusted.

The first girl blinks.

"Excuse me?" She asks, her dumb, affected valley girl accent laid on thick.

"You heard me!" Darcy spits. "Why don't you just lay off, huh? You think it's funny? When someone gets hurt?"

The girl scoffs, rolling her eyes and looking to her friend.

"Get a load of this one." She snickers, and the other snickers right along with her.

"Hey," she looks back up at Darcy. "aren't you the one who's been hanging out with the little freak? Makes sense. You two weirdoes make a good pair. Only another freak would want to hang out with Thor's retarded little brother."

And that's about all Darcy can take.

She reaches down and grabs the girl by the hair, tearing her out of her seat.

The girl screams, loud and high pitched, and Darcy slaps her across the mouth.

"Yeah, well, that _retard_ has more brains in his little pinky than you have in that entire, fucked up skull of yours, you stupid bitch."

The girl's face is contorted in horror as Darcy shoves her back down into her seat, and without another word, she's walking away.

She knows she'll get in trouble. She can already hear the bitch crying out for the teacher.

Like she gives a fuck.

Jane is up out of her seat, coming towards her, expression worried. But Darcy just blows past her, sitting back down.

It's not like after school detention is a rarity for her.

/

By noon, the security footage from Ms. Hill's office has somehow been uploaded to youtube, and is making the rounds among the student body, news spreading like wildfire.

Darcy doesn't want to see it, but she's sitting outside with Tony and Clint and the rest of their group, eating lunch, when Tony pulls out his cell and calls it up, and once it starts playing, she can't seem to pull her eyes away.

The video is grainy and black and white, but it's clear enough to see what's happening.

Ms. Hill is talking to Loki, who's sat across from her at her desk. He seems closed off. Arms wrapped round himself, hear turned away. Unresponsive as Ms. Hill tries talking to him.

This goes on for about five minutes, before seemingly out of nowhere, Loki explodes.

He jumps up from his seat and rushes towards the offices window. Darcy flinches back, her hand coming to her mouth as she watches Loki put his fist through the glass without even a moments hesitation. Glass shards fly everywhere, and she knows the black ooze covering his hand is blood.

She feels tears prickling in her eyes as she sees Loki pull himself up onto the windowsill, paying no heed to the sharp shards still clinging within the frame as he tries in what looks like a desperate scramble to escape through it, to the outside.

"Jesus, would ya look at that?" She hears Clint mutter. Everyone else is stunned to silence, eyes glued to the little screen as Ms. Hill gets up and starts shouting for help, a bunch more people suddenly flooding the room and grabbing hold of Loki before he's even halfway out the window.

And the tears finally flood and overflow down Darcy's face as she watches Loki struggle madly against them, trying in a frenzied panic to escape their hands.

She can't take it anymore, as they force him to the ground, holding him down as a nurse comes in with a needle in hand, and Darcy already knows what it's for.

She gets up and starts walking away, not caring what anyone else thinks, wiping viciously at her eyes.

/

Loki had been taken out of school for the rest of the day, and Thor had left for the day too, after hearing what had happened.

He'd been the one to take Loki home.

Darcy thinks this is probably a bad idea. That she might end up fucking up what little progress she's made with Loki by showing up here now. But she's got to know at least if he's alright.

She lifts her hand, swallowing thickly before forcing herself to ring the doorbell.

Forever seems to pass before, finally, she hears the lock unlatching, and a moment later, she's staring up at Thor, who's looking down at her in obvious confusion, lips pulled into a vague frown.

"Darcy?" He begins, voice unusually soft.

She swallows again, nodding.

"Yeah." She says. "Hi Thor."

And then he's stepping out onto the porch with her, shutting the door behind him, hand still on the knob.

"What are you doing here?" He asks, still in that hushed tone.

Darcy nervously pushes a lock of hair behind her ear, adjusting her glasses and looking down.

"I heard what happened." She answers.

When Thor says nothing, she glances back up at him, and there is so much pain in his eyes, it takes every ounce of strength for Darcy not to just up and start balling right then and there.

"Is… is he okay?" She asks softly, and she thinks she might be sick as Thor slowly shakes his head.

"Not really." He admits quietly.

Darcy nods, again looking down.

"Can… can I see him?"

Thor shifts, silent a moment, before answering.

"I'm not sure if that is a good idea, Darcy." He replies in that strangely formal way of speaking that both he and Loki have. "He's not… himself at the moment."

She looks back up at him, concerned.

"What does that mean?" She asks.

And now Thor's eyes shift away, almost ashamed.

"He's been given a sedative Darcy." He says. "So he won't be very responsive to you."

Darcy blinks, and then nods again in understanding.

"Okay." She reply's. "That's okay. I'd still like… I mean…"

Thor is studying her closely, she notices when she dares another glance up at him. And she shifts nervously, uncertain.

Finally, to her relief, he nods.

"If you think you would like to." He says, and then he's stepping aside, opening the door for her to pass through.

Darcy hesitates only a moment, suddenly, irrationally afraid.

But then she steels herself, and moves forward.

She isn't expecting Loki to be right there, in the living room, sitting in the same chair she'd found him in last Saturday.

But he is, and immediately, her eyes go to his right arm, covered in white bandages wrapped around his hand, all the way up to his elbow. There are red blotches, bleeding through the gauzy material to the surface, and Darcy feels her stomach drop, twisting in knots as her eyes roam over the rest of him. There are tiny, inconsequential cuts along his face, and band-aids cover his other arm.

He's sitting, slumped, unmoving, eyes half-lidded, like he's really tired. And as Darcy approaches him, he doesn't even respond. Doesn't seem to know she's there.

Thor stands back, still near the door, watching.

"Loki?" She begins quietly when she's reached him.

He doesn't look up, and Darcy bites her lip, crouching down so that she's eyelevel with him.

"Loki?" She tries again, reaching out and taking gentle hold of his delicate hands.

His usually bright, intelligent eyes are glassy and distant, and a kind of fear works its way up into Darcy's throat, as she realizes, despite his gaze being on her face, he isn't really seeing her.

It's like he's looking right through her.

"Oh God, Loki…" she says, and she can't hold it in any longer. She pulls him into a hug, holding him against her chest.

He falls against her, limp and unresponsive, even as she presses a hand to the back of his head, and her own tears spill over, hot down her cheeks.

/

**AN: Hey guys! Sorry it's been so long since I've updated this story! I've been swamped with writing for my other ones, and just finally got around to updating this. But I haven't abandoned it, I promise! I hope you enjoyed this, despite all the horrible angst, lol. Let me know what you think, and thanks so much again for all your support!**


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